Stars’ issues fall to the wayside as Dallas shuts down Oilers, win four of last five games

Winning will cure a lot of things.

It’ll clear up a goaltending situation that looks as crowded as it did two months ago. It’ll erase the cursed memory of a five-goal loss just days ago. It’ll cover up the healthy scratch of a hometown kid or the lack of even-strength goals.

Winning does those things, and with the Stars’ 4-1 win over the Oilers on Tuesday night, issues fall to the wayside as points accumulate in the standings. Dallas has now won four of its last five games, with each of its wins in the last 10 days by three goals.

“We did what we had to do,” Stars coach Rick Bowness said. “That was solid; everyone bought in. It was just a solid team effort. You’re playing against those elite players, it’s got to be a group of five working together to slow them up. We did that for the most part.”

The Stars power play scored twice on Tuesday night, matching the total number of power-play goals the Oilers had allowed on the road entering the game. Roope Hintz scored by deflecting Alexander Radulov’s tip of John Klingberg’s shot. Jason Robertson finished a cross-ice feed from Hintz later in the first period.

Denis Gurianov scored four seconds after a Stars power play ended, speeding up the left wing and beating Stuart Skinner with a backhand between his legs. Gurianov’s goal ended a stretch of seven straight Dallas goals that were not scored at even-strength (four on the power play, two short-handed and one empty-netter).

Luke Glendening added a third period goal by tipping Ryan Suter’s point shot for his fifth goal of the season.

Jake Oettinger made his case again to remain in Dallas by making 20 saves. He improved to 3-0-0 on the season and has been the team’s best goaltender this year.

The Stars ended Connor McDavid’s 17-game point streak as Miro Heiskanen did most of the heavy lifting in shutting down the reigning Hart Trophy winner. McDavid entered the third period without a shot on goal, and Heiskanen was on the ice almost every time McDavid was.

“Awesome,” Bowness said of Heiskanen. “He had a great stick tonight. He was great, he really was. Skating the puck out, but it’s his stick breaking up plays that he was so good at tonight.”

Ryan McLeod scored in the second period, polishing a feed on an odd-man rush from Leon Draisaitl.

With everything the Stars have done well in the last 10 days — power-play production, strong goaltending, strong 5-on-5 play, more offensive zone time and fewer stretches stuck in their own end — the memories of the team’s players-only meeting fades. The Minnesota loss looks like a speed bump rather than a death knell.

The Stars are not out of the forest yet, though.

They remain outside the playoff picture at the traditional Thanksgiving Day checkpoint. They are above .500 for the first time since the home opener a month ago. They may be too reliant on special teams and goaltending to sustain their recent stretch of winning.

But good signs came Tuesday night.

Oettinger, Heiskanen, Robertson, Hintz and Gurianov reminded that they are not only the future, but also the present. Klingberg’s three-assist night marked his first multi-point game of the season. Radulov nearly ended his nine-game goalless streak.

Winning will hide the other defects. At least, for now.

“We’re really relying right now on how we want to play, and everyone is buying in, too,” Klingberg said. “We did a good job with the prescout here today, and it really showed that’s the way we need to play to win games.”

Sekera back in: Defenseman Andrej Sekera returned to the lineup after he missed Saturday’s game because he was sick. Sekera practiced on Monday and was on the third pairing with Jani Hakanpää on Tuesday.

Joel Hanley came out of the Dallas lineup.

Glendening still sore: After blocking a shot in the third period against St. Louis, Glendening did not skate on Tuesday morning, but he still played against the Oilers.

Bowness said Glendening was “still a little sore from blocking that shot,” but added that X-rays on his foot came back clean.

Holtby’s road back: Holtby was again on the ice Tuesday morning as he works back from a lower-body injury that’s kept him out since the Nov. 10 loss to Nashville. He also practiced with the team Monday.

“I’ve found that reading the game, the movement, is easier,” Holtby said. “It’s more those reps of the releases, reacting naturally instead of — I found even [Monday], you only get a few and you kind of make too much of every shot. You don’t react naturally. It’s just getting those reps to stop your mind from thinking.”

Extra forward: Forward Tanner Kero was a healthy scratch Tuesday. The Stars recalled Kero on Sunday and sent Riley Tufte back to AHL affiliate Texas.

Tufte played two games during his first stint in the NHL. Texas doesn’t play again until Saturday at Manitoba.

“It’s better for Riley to go back and play, and it’s better for Tanner to sit here as our 12th, 13th guy knowing we can put him in and he knows how to play,” Bowness said. “He’s a veteran. He knows how we want to play.”

By swapping Tufte and Kero, the Stars now have $821,666 in cap space, enough to recall one of 11 different skaters from Texas, should Dallas need a fresh forward or defenseman.

Briefly: For the Stars’ Hockey Fights Cancer Night, former Cowboys quarterback Babe Laufenberg dropped the ceremonial puck in honor of his son Luke.

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